What Can You Do before Unavoidable Natural Disasters?_Believers in Christ Are Protected from Earthquake, Typhoon, and Flood
|
|
|
 11457 |
 |
May 10, 2015 |
|
|
|
The major earthquake in Nepal claimed the lives of thousands of people. Let's pray that there is no more damage and the people won't suffer from further trauma. In addition, let's become God's blessed children who are always protected by Him and give glory to Him.
On April 25, 2015, a strong (7.8) earthquake hit the area near Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Many buildings collapsed, and major aftershocks claimed many people's lives in many areas. This devastating earthquake left more than 7,000 people dead and no fewer than 15,000 people victimized (as of May 6, 2015).
On April 26, 2015, Pastor Grace Lee of Manmin Mission Center in Nepal reported concerning the state of the church she pastors saying, "There was no injury and no damage to our church and to our members. Even their family members in other areas and their homes were protected. The church had no damage at all!"
Manmin Mission Center uses the third to fifth floors of a five-story thin and tall building in the Lalitpur District that is connected to Kathmandu by a bridge. When the earthquake occurred, the building shook so much that they could not stand or sit still without holding something.
At that time, more than 170 members were having lunch after offering up Sunday Morning Service since they keep the Lord's Day on Saturday. They went out and stayed in the road outside for a while. But an hour later they gathered in the church again and had a prayer meeting instead of Evening Service. They even had the Daniel Prayer Meeting.
Pastor Lee sent the letter, which reads, "Our members were protected from this major earthquake, which caused them to grow in faith. Please pray that Nepal government may be able to quickly recover from the damage and that the country may be protected from aftershocks."
Faced with natural disasters, humans are such tiny and totally vulnerable beings. However, if God's children believe God, practice His Word with love for Him, and walk in the Light, then they will not lose peace. Just as God protected the Israelites in Goshen from the Ten Plagues coming upon all areas of Egypt, He allows for people today to also experience such protective works of His power.
On July 15, 2014, it was night-time in the Philippines, when a similar work occurred. Typhoon Rammasun was a powerful tropical storm that brought destructive impact all across the Philippines with the highest winds at 250km/h (155mi/h). In Cavite Manmin Church, the pillar connected to the building's roof started to shake due to strong winds. Pastor Sharon Cho urgently asked for Dr. Lee's prayer. Suddenly, the winds that were about to root out the pillar died down and it stopped raining.
Next morning, Pastor Cho saw hundreds of trees uprooted near her church. It looked chaotic. She also saw an iron column in front of a gas station that was bent. But her church had no damage except for very minor damage on the roof and walls of the parking lot.
In March 2011, a tsunami struck Sendai, Japan sweeping over the seaside town and caused severe landslides. Thousands of people were buried alive. Furthermore, it caused damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant, which resulted in radioactive leakage. Its damage was immeasurable. In such turmoil, what happened to branch churches of Manmin Central Church in Japan?
Yamagata Manmin Church is quite close to Sendai, but they had no damage. They just felt the building shake and experienced power failure. Other branch churches also felt only the shaking movement of buildings, but all of them were protected.
In January 2011, a series of floods hit Queensland in Australia. The Brisbane River rose eight meters. If it continued to rain as predicted by the forecast, thousands of households would have been inundated. Dr. Mika Cooper, the Australian WCDN Director, asked Dr. Lee to pray for her country. Soon, it stopped pouring and great damage was averted.
No matter where people are, they are exposed to the dangers of unexpected disasters. The God of love does not want mankind to be faced with disasters. He wants them to lead healthy and happy lives with the hope for Heaven. He protects them with a love that is much greater than that even of parents. But when they willfully commit sins to the extent that God cannot help turning His back on them, a disaster may occur according to justice.
If they accept Jesus Christ as the Savior, try to live by God's Word, and meet with the minimum justice for God's children by keeping the Lord's Day and giving the whole tithe, they will be protected from worries, anxiety, accidents, and disasters.
The major earthquake in Nepal claimed the lives of thousands of people. Let's pray that there is no more damage and the people won't suffer from further trauma. In addition, let's become God's blessed children who are always protected by Him and give glory to Him.
|
|
Manmin News 
